VACANCY
POSITION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons for the demanding position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UbuntuNet Alliance for Research and Education Networking, which becomes vacant in July 2014. The Alliance, whose Head Office is based in Lilongwe, Malawi, is a regional not-for-profit organization covering Eastern and Southern Africa. Its core functions are to develop and provide affordable high speed connectivity among its member National Research and Education Networks (NRENs – currently 14) and with the rest of the world; to develop and share the knowledge and skills of NREN ICT practitioners; and to lead in research aimed at improving networking infrastructure. The Alliance is governed through the Council of Members and an independent Board selected by the NRENs. It is managed by the Chief Executive Officer who is also a member of, and secretary to, the Board.

Minimum requirements
The ideal candidate will have the following attributes:

• Minimum of 5 years high level experience as a manager with discretionary operations and expenditure powers in areas that have very strong relevance to both the technology and business side of research and education networking;
• A balanced combination of technical knowledge related to ICT in the research and education environment as well as research and education networking on the one hand, and business and management skills on the other hand;
• Experience at regional and international level, including working in multi-cultural, multi-national environments;  
• A self-motivated and output-oriented person with good leadership and inter-personal skills;
• Excellent communication and report writing skills; very good command of the English language, with French and Portuguese as desirable additional languages 

Duties and Responsibilities
The duties and responsibilities of the CEO include the following:

• Developing and implementing UbuntuNet Alliance’s strategy; 
• Supporting UbuntuNet Allinace governance processes;
• Managing operations;
• Planning and implementing staff and general capacity development;
• Developing and managing relations with member NRENs;
• Developing and sustaining relations with the Research & Education Networks community worldwide;  
• Developing and sustaining relations with development partners;
• Developing and sustaining relations with suppliers.

Terms of employment
This is a full-time contract position for an initial term of 3 to 5 years, renewable by mutual agreement, tenable at the Head Office although the successful applicant may raise the possibility of an alternative work location. The Alliance provides an attractive negotiable salary and benefits to the CEO in accordance with its emoluments structure.

Method of application
Applicants should provide details of all their qualifications, including university degrees as well as management and industry certifications. Shortlisted candidates will be informed about their status by mid-December 2013 with a view to arranging for their interviews between 24th and 31st January 2014. The new CEO will be engaged by 1st July 2014 to allow for an induction and transition period before the expiration of the current CEO’s contract.

Applications, including detailed curriculum vitae and three traceable referees, should be submitted in electronic form as pdf files not later than 20th November 2013 to: